Super specific question/situation. My kid is a very avid reader. She estimates 100+ per year, and even that feels low to me. It’s not part of a club or anything formal. But it’s a big part of her life. She is leaning toward being an English major with an eye toward becoming a teacher. Should/could this go into the common app activities section? She isn’t maxed out on 10 entries. So I’m leaning toward encouraging her to do so. What do y’all think?
It’s a big part of her life so yes she definitely should!
Voracious readers are rare and in-demand. She will need to work on how to call that (“Voracious reading” may be catchy enough) and how to describe it-definitely favorite genres and top titles from the past year. If she has a page or place where she records what she read, she should give the link or indicate she keeps a reading log (“in beautiful leather bound book offered as 15th, 16th, 17Th bday presents”, “by hand in little notebook”..)
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Sure. It won’t hurt. It’s a hobby so it is extracurricular. Just not organized.
Many don’t realize though that many schools don’t consider ECs, and certainly schools someone might attend to teach. So depending on her list, it may or may not matter.
More impactful might be to build her essay around it so that her passion can be brought out.
Good luck.
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Thanks. Her top two schools both list activities as “important” in their CDS.
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Echoing the advice to write about her reading in her essay. Why does she like reading so much? What type of book does she like, and why? Favorite author? How does she implement what she learned through reading in her life? How does this factor into ideas about her post-college life? What has she learned about herself through reading? Consider making the point that reading isn’t being used to escape/not deal with real life, unless this can be a positive.
I throw these questions out to spark thought. To me, the essay is the perfect place to flesh out an aspect of the applicant that isn’t apparent in the rest of the application.
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Agree the reading could make/be part of a good essay.
But, I would still include the reading as an activity, as this is how she spends a not insignificant chunk of her time outside of school/homework (and that’s what the activities section is for.)
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If your daughter’s reading has included literature, such as enduring titles from previous generations or Pulitzer Prize winners, or books outside of her comfort zone, she should be sure to mention this in the space available. For a high school student, Thomas Hardy, for example, will suffice.
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yes it definitely can and should!
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